Augmentative Communication systems designed to meet the demands of home and the community

How can a student’s augmentative communication system be designed to meet the communication demands of home and community?

    This requires family involvement, issues related to culture, and identification of places or activities in which the student is active. Teachers must be actively involved in ensuring that there is appropriate carryover and use within the home, among the family members, and across community sites. Training of augmentative communication systems should be provided to families. It would be helpful to have the system set up to have their children involved in birthday celebrations, religious activities, or a community group such a scouting. 
    It is important that the family is comfortable with the system and can easily operate it. It is important to consider where the family members are currently on level to find the best match for them to use. Then teachers can decide what would be the best fit to use at home and in the community. 
     The downside is that the community is less familiar with augmentative communication and may be less willing to accept an unfamiliar approach to communication. This is challenging for most users. Unfamiliar partners are people who have no shared knowledge with the user , no understanding of the system, and no understanding of the rules of communicating with an augmentative communication user. Teachers should facilitate positive interactions with students. 
    The devices can be programmed to ask specific questions and guests can be directed toward the augmentative communication user to answer a question.